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Students capture wind power at Mind a-Mazes

Answers blowing in the wind

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Students assemble jump rope from a bag of found materials during the spontaneous problem portion of the Mind a-Mazes competition on Nov. 11 at Soldotna Middle School.
Photo courtesy of Brian Bailey

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Devices designed to harness wind power are lined up for the competition.
Photo courtesy Brian Bailey

Students assemble jump rope from a bag of found materials during the spontaneous problem portion of the Mind a-Mazes competition on Nov. 11 at Soldotna Middle School.

Photo courtesy of Brian Bailey

Students around the Kenai Peninsula Borough School District are full of hot air  or more specifically, have found ways to harness the power of moving air  and they’re proud of it.

The district Mind a-Mazes competition was staged on Nov. 11 at Soldotna Middle School, and the theme for this year was “Long-winded Gizmo.” Student teams were challenged to create a device that would utilize wind power to travel the greatest distance possible while carrying a 1.25-ounce hex nut, with accuracy points awarded for devices that stay in a 4-foot-wide lane. Wind power was generated by a large box fan set on “high.”

Devices were created over the course of three to four weeks using a variety of found materials. Teams were limited to spending $10 for supplies such as wood, screws, glue and duct tape.

The competition concluded with a spontaneous problem for teams to solve. Teams were given a brown paper bag of materials and were challenged to make a jump rope, with points given for length and functionality.

Devices designed to harness wind power are lined up for the competition.